Summary:
Namco gives Vicious Sid an exclusive hands-on play with the final US version of the PlayStation 3 brawler Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection! Read on for our full hands-on impressions.

Full Text:
It's no secret among Tekken players that Tekken 3 was the series' best showing. That's why it was such great news that Tekken 5 was a much-needed return to form for Namco's flagship fighter, as well as one of the prettiest PS2 games ever released.

Well, you ain't seen nothing yet. Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, a sort of expansion to the original Tekken 5, was quietly released in arcades last year, and also made a surprisingly great showing on the handheld PSP. But now it's headed to the PlayStation 3 as an exclusive downloadable game, and we've got the first hands-on experience with the final U.S. release code.

First things first: Tekken 5: DR is cheap. How does $19.50 sound? For that small chunk of change, you're getting an extensively reworked, remastered version of the biggest Tekken game yet. And we're talking BIG: 35 characters (including the now-unlockable Jinpachi), 19 fighting arenas, and scores of unlockable costumes.

1080p Dreams

But how does it look? In a word, sharp. The game supports every SD and HD resolution, all the way up to 1080p (not the 720p mistakenly reported in the March issue of GamePro). At 1080p, Tekken 5: DR simply dazzles: It might not have the latest-and-greatest shader effects ala Dead or Alive 4, but it definitely looks new-gen. Though it wasn't developed to take full advantage of the PS3's exotic hardware, this is one fine-looking fighter that doesn't look a bit out of date. We can only imagine what the long-awaited Tekken 6 will look like, once Namco's programmers start delving into the secrets of the PS3's Cell processor.

We did, however, notice a glimmer or two of slowdown during our gameplay in the 1080p mode. It only lasted for a fraction of a second, but it popped up several times on one of the busier backgrounds. We weren't particularly concerned, but it's still worthy of note.

The controls are, of course, just about perfect. And why wouldn't they be? What the series lacks in originality, it makes up for in consistency: Tekken hasn't changed its core control scheme in years. We did notice, though, that the Sixaxis's analog shoulder triggers aren't well suited for a fighting game, so you'll want to avoid mapping any buttons to them. Gameplay-wise, the only bummer is the lack of any online multiplayer modes, though it's hardly a surprise given that Tekken still hasn't made the leap to internet play -- we expect Tekken 6 will.

King of the PS3?

Is Tekken 5: DR worth $19.50? Almost certainly. The amazing amount of content and the time-testing combat should make Tekken 5: DR a no-brainer for PS3 fighting fans, particularly at that bargain-bin price. It might not look quite as good as Virtua Fighter 5 or Dead or Alive 4, but Tekken 5: DR is shaping up to be a well-rounded competitor in its own right.

If we can expect further downloadable games of this quality and price coming from Sony's online store, Xbox Live may have some serious catching up to do.

I would guess around 10 for flOw, which is a pretty good deal considering the amount of changes that have taken place compared to the old flash version. Theres offline multiplayer, rankings IIRC, full 3d graphics compared to the flat 2d version, and 5 campaigns IIRC as well.

So, I'm sure everyone is wondering what's new at Kush Games Inc.? If you aren't you should be. Well, we are starting pre-production for MLB 2K8. We also have a small team putting the finishing touches on our PS3 and XBOX 360 demos so they can be submitted to Sony and Microsoft. Stay tuned for more information on those demos in the upcoming days and weeks, though if you visit any of the message boards there is information from a leak *gasp* describing what the demos will entail. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action. I kid.

Full Auto 2 Demo and Destruction Derby to hit PSN tomorrow. And probably more movie trailers

Quote:

Want to get your road rage on? Sony Computer Entertainment America will update the PLAYSTATION®Store on Thursday with a demo of Full Auto™ 2: Battlelines for the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system, and the classic PlayStation® title, Destruction Derby, for the PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) system.

Below are the details on the new offerings from the PLAYSTATION Store:

· Check out a demo for Sega’s Full Auto 2: Battlelines to experience the next generation of car combat on the PS3 system. Choose your vehicle and weapons, and then launch into battle. Obliterate the city to block your opponents, unlock hidden power-ups and discover invaluable new routes.

· In Destruction Derby ($5.99) for the PSP system, you’re on a mission to bash, smash and crash into the other guy until his auto (or yours) gives up the ghost. The array of tracks and race styles will keep you coming back for more.

· Download trailers for upcoming movies from Sony Pictures.

And then we have the Midway classic titles starting to release sometime in march. Calling All Cars is early march IIRC.

I am not too happy about the $19.50 price. PSN charges tax so putting $20 in your wallet won't be enough to cover it. I hope they eventually go to a nintendo like points system ($1=100 points), so there is no spill over with tax.